‘He has no choice’ Emmanuel Macron’s minister urged to quit after being accused of rape

EMMANUEL Macron’s rivals have ordered for his budget minister to step down after prosecutors reopened an investigation into allegations he raped a woman in return for helping her.

Gérald Darmanin allegedly pressured the woman into sex in return for helping her clear her name in a legal dispute.Sophie Spatz, a 46-year-old former call girl, filed a complaint against Mr Darmanin shortly after the May 2017 presidential election, but the investigation was closed after she failed to attend questioning by police.

She renewed her complaint in January, sparking a preliminary probe. Mrs Spatz told police she had approached Mr Darmanin in 2009 seeking legal help, but that she had felt “pressured into sex” when he touched her hand and said: “You too must help me”.

Mr Darmanin, a former right-wing lawmaker, has vehemently denied the accusations. His lawyers said Mrs Spatz was trying to “harm” the minister’s reputation, adding their client would file a counter-suit for slander.